The National tribune., 1887-12-15

tnousihus OF lbem, ana OF strong anu per
manent interest to millions more.
Justice 10 the men who fought the battles
Of the country and saved her from destruc-
ton, and TO their dependent ones, has occu-
pied vastly more OF the earnest attention Of
the great body Of the people during the last
few years than any question Of National
taxation or the disposition of the augment
ing surplus. The mass OF the people have
felt only a languid and speculative interest
in the National finances and whatever re-
lated TO them, while they have had warm
personal feeling in regard to the Nations
treatment Of the men TO whom ii owes
everything. All their sense Of justice-of
gratitude, of decency-has revolted at the
idea OF these men whose services and sacri-
fees they remember and appreciate, being
condemned, in the premature age and de-
crepitude caused by those services, TO know
the sharp sting Of penury and want; to know
what ii is TO lack bread, and fire, and shell
ter, and medicines, while the treasure-boxes
Of the Nation they saved are overfowing
with idle money.
1t is difficult TO reconcile this grave omis-
sion with the generally y-recognized duty of
the President in matters of like importance.
Rarely in the history Of the country has any
matter been so persistently pressed upon the
attention Of the Chief Executive. The first
session Of Congress held after Mr.. Cleye-
lands Inauguration regarded it as a subject
which trauscended all others before it for
consideration, for il devoted more attention
10 bills relating TO it than to any other
measures 1t was impelled to do this by an
unmistakable public demand, which was
expressed, among other ways, by petition
signed by fully half-a-million voters of all
shades of political belief The pension bill
which was finally put upon its passage was
laboriOusly digested by the Senate and House
Committees on Pensions from mass of
pension bills which had been introduced,
and it bore close resemblance TO the bill
which is now recommended by the GAR.
National Pension Committee. This passed
the Senate by decisive majority, and only
failed in the House because Of obstructive
parliamentary tactics at critical period in
lis career. AT that time the President
seemed fully impressed with the strength of
the popular demand for such legislation, for
at the opening Of the next session Of Con-
gress his message contained strong and
specific recommendation of such provision
for the disabled defenders of the Union.
The Senate and House Committees on Pen
sions prepared a new bill, which modified
somewhat the one of the previous session,
and both Houses passed this by decided ma
iorities Mr.. Cleveland vetoed this in a
message which clearly conceded the justice
and necessity Of the country making ampler
provision for the relief OF its veterans than
ii had yet done, but disapproyed of the bin
before him on technical grounds.
Since then the feelings of the people in
favor of such a measure has been made more
evident than ever before. 1t has been gen.
orally discussed in the press Of the country,
and the journals which have favored il have
greatly exceeded in numbers, circulation
and influence those which opposed il. The
Legislatures Of several of the richest and
most powerful States have emphatically in
dorsed the measure, and the veterans them
selves have in the National Encampment Of
the Grand Army Of the Republic and by a
practically unanimous vote in their Posts
approved it in the strongest and most un-
mistakable way.
Now, after all this, at the opening of the
first session Of the 50th Congress, Mr.. Cleve-
land ignores wholly the subject which has
been regarded as Of paramount importance
by the two previous sessions OF his Admins
tration, which is no nearer adjustment than
when he entered Office, and the necessity Of
adjusting which is much more urgent than
it ever has been. He devotes the whole of
his message TO a new issue Of minor impor-
tance, in which the great mass of the people
have only vague and shadowy interest,
and for the consideration Of which there has
been no general popular demand. All the
interest in the matter is noisy, faclitious
one, carefully wrought up by designing
politicians and others 10 serve their own
purposes.
In no way can any probable modification
Of our revenue system affect so many citi-
zens 50 vitality as the passage of a Just and
liberal pension law. AT all events, the re-
adjustment Of the revenue can wait; while
the veterans, who are languishing for relief
cannot They have already waited three
long years since Mr.. Cleveland was elected
TO oiiioe-three long years in homes of pen.
ury and disease; in almshouses; in County
State and National institutions; in the chill
and grudged shelters afforded by distant
relatives OF charitable people-for the relic.